Social Science Preparatory I Students' Mathematics Achievement and Their Attitude towards Mathematics: The Case of Government Schools in Addis Ababa
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Date
2008-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The primary purposes of this study were to investigate Social Science
Preparatory I students' mathematics achievement and attitude towards
mathematics and also to determine whether or not selected variables such as
attitude, liking mathematics, interest to and attention in learning mathematics
were related with mathematics achievement.
Achievement test, attitude scale and some open and close-ended questionnaire
items were administered to a sample of 221 girls and 121 boys who were
selected by using multi-stage sampling method from four randomly selected
government preparatory schools.
One sample t-test, Pearson Product moment correlation, biserial correlation and
descriptive analyses were employed on the data for tests of significance. The
overall achievement score of the students was found to be lower than 50% (as
per national criterion for promotion) at 0.05 level and their attitude towards
mathematics was unfavourable (less than the test value of 60). Results of biserial
correlations analyses indicated that liking mathematics and achievement in
mathematics were moderately related (r = 0.399), interest to learn mathematics
and achievement in mathematics were moderately related (r = 0.376) and also
attention to learn mathematics and achievement in mathematics were moderately
related (r= 0.368) at 0.05 level. It was found that attitude variability accounted
the highest (54%) achievement variability among the students. It was concluded
that attitude and achievement were highly and positively related (r = 0.731).
Based on the findings, some possible suggestions were forwarded to students,
teachers, parents, curriculum planners and Addis Ab~ba Education Bureau that
would help to improve students' achievement in mathematics and raise their
attitude towards the subject.
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Social Science Preparatory I Students' Mathematics Achievement